Swap Meat S5
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: In the midst of a routine witch hunt, Sam finds himself in the wrong body.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These fics are based on real episodes from Supernatural. The characters and plots belong to the creator and writers for the show. If you want background on the OCs you can read the previous episodes.

Swap Meat

"Please." Dean grimaced and gripped the steering wheel. "I just ate."

She offered a mock scolding as she absently played a card game on her phone. "Dean that's not very nice. He's human."

"Half. He's half human." He muttered, referring to Dominic. A son of Lucifer. "And Jo's not stupid enough to fall for him."

"I didn't say she fell for him, but she's clearly interested. It's a good thing really." She added thoughtfully.

"How do you figure?"

She shrugged. "If she hooks up with Dom, she'll get over her affliction for you, and I won't have to kick her ass."

Sam laughed. "Obviously you have nothing but Jo's well being in mind."

"Obviously. See, Sam understands."

Dean resisted the urge to make a nasty crack about his brother and kept his eyes on the road. Lately it was better if he didn't say anything about Sam, joking or not.

"Speaking of school-girl crushes, Dean totally had a thing for this chick."

"Thanks Sam." He parked the car. "Because _that's_ not in the past."

"Aw, you had a crush on your babysitter. That's so sweet…" Her smile dissipated when she saw he wasn't cracking. "Right, job face. On."

They were met at the door by a woman in her mid-thirties, blonde, of course and she looked alright for her age. She probably was a looker when she was babysitting. The woman smiled warmly at them, motherly.

"Wow, Dean and Sammy Winchester. All grown up."

"Donna, it's good to see you." Sam smiled. "This is Kayla, she's here to help."

The woman shook her hand and invited them into the house. Kayla always felt like an awkward addition to the brothers, mainly because of the varying introductions. _She's a hunter, she's a friend, she knows what she's doing._ It always seemed like an answer to the silent 'what's with the chick' question. After all, they'd called the Winchesters for help, not their side kick.

"Gosh, how long has it been?" Donna sat next to her teenage daughter, Katie, on the couch.

Sam was better with reminiscing. "Summer before sixth grade."

She laughed quietly. "Yes I remember, you assigned your own reading list."

"Aw, so the dork thing isn't a recent change." Kayla teased.

Dean smirked. "Nah, he was born with it."

He ignored them and stuck with amiable chit chat as he turned to Katie. "Your mom was the best babysitter we ever had."

"Back when I was a maid over at the Mayflower, before you were even a thought, their dad would ride into town and leave the boys with me while he…went to work. One time he was gone for two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

Dean grimaced with the less than affectionate memory.

"He always came limping back." She smiled. "He loved you boys."

"What did he do that whole time?"

Under the circumstances, Sam figured he could give a little. "Katie, our dad used to be an expert on getting rid of ghosts. Now so are we." That was a simpler, less disturbing explanation.

Donna nodded. "That's why we called them sweetie, they're here to help."

Dean made and acknowledging nod to Donna's husband as he entered. "Sounds like you've got a poltergeist."

"It started about a month or two after we moved in, didn't it?" He asked his wife.

"Yeah it started with just bumps and knocks, and scratches on the walls. Then it started breaking things."

Sam nodded. "Then it attacked Katie."

The father looked at Katie in concern. "That was two nights ago."

Donna nodded to her. "Show them."

Katie stood up and raised her shirt; on her stomach had been carved the words _Murderd Chylde._

"Murdered Child." Sam read aloud.

"Katie." Dean started. "Everything's going to be fine. I promise. Why don't you guys take a little vacation, and we'll take care of it."

Donna looked relieved. "Thank you so much."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam did some brief research while they were grabbing some lunch. The house had been owned by Isaiah Pickett in the 1720's. Witchcraft accusations were still common, not to mention misunderstood and unable to be proven, and Pickett hung a woman in his backyard for the crime. The victim, Maggie Briggs, seemed to be their number one suspect at this point. There were still no leads on the murdered child suggestion, and nothing online could tell them where Briggs was buried. As usual, they split up. Sam took the research at local town records, while Dean and Kayla went on cemetery duty.

Kayla pulled hard on a cluster of vines and they untangled from the headstone. "Not here…but we're in the right time frame."

"Thrilled." He brushed the dirt off the one next to it. No Maggie Briggs. "So."

"So." She tossed the vines off to the side.

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

His outward anxiety got her curiosity going. "Shoot."

He didn't say anything right away; he pretended to be focused on getting ancient dirt off another tombstone. "Before I got back, you said you went to Dominic."

The curiosity disappeared and she moved to the next headstone. "I was a little on the suicidal side, yeah."

"Why would you even think to go to him for help? Why was he the first to come to mind?"

She laughed. "The first? I hope he didn't tell you that. He wasn't the first thought, trust me. We tried the gate first, you know that. Then there were the demons…lots, and lots of demons. I think we sent at least thirty of those fuckers back to hell before Ruby even showed up."

"Not that it's a bad thing, but what was the point?"

"We were trying to get information out some, on Lilith, on you, on hell, anything. We tried a few crossroad demons, tried to deal. They weren't biting."

"And then…?"

She sighed quietly. "He said he'd take me to you, you know, when we met at the resort. He lied. We were running around in circles, never getting anywhere, I didn't know what else to do."

He stopped pretending to dust off the graves. "I guess what I really want to know is how exactly you went about asking him to take you to hell."

Why would he ask her that? "What did he tell you?"

"What he told me isn't really important, since I'm asking you."

Her eyes roamed the cemetery. "Why does it matter?" His expression didn't change. "Dean, do you have to ask? More importantly, do you really want to know? Think about what we knew about Dominic, from meeting him at the resort."

She was right about one thing, he didn't really have to ask. "You were going to sleep with him."

"If I had to." She replied honestly. "It wasn't about Dominic, you believe that don't you? I was lost, I just wanted you back."

He did believe her, he was just having a hard time coming to grips with it. "He just made it seem like, maybe it was something else."

"It wasn't. It wasn't then, it isn't now, it will _never_ be. Why would you ask me this now? After all this time?"

"What about Sam?"

"What _about_ Sam? Dean, what is this about?"

"I don't know." He shook his head. "I really don't. He was just being a dick I guess, trying to get under my skin."

"Well it sure as hell worked didn't it?" She kicked the dirt off her shoes, a little more violently than intended. "I'll kick his ass if he keeps messing with you, it's not funny."

Dean chuckled. "I'm glad you feel that way."

She went back to checking the names on the graves.

"So making out with Cas, how was that?"

Deep breath. Kayla lowered her head and reigned in an outburst relating to the fact that he'd practically begged her to do it. "Awesome. Can we work this job?"

It apparently wasn't the answer he was looking for.

"Dean, what do you want me to say?"

His answer was unsure and definitely defensive. "Well not that it was awesome."

"Fine. He was terrified and I feel like I assaulted him to get him to agree to it."

He smirked. "I just wanna make sure I don't have anything to worry about."

"_You _have nothing to worry about. Do _I? _You're not usually this insecure."

Is that what this was? He supposed she was right, though he sure as hell wasn't going to admit it. Maybe this whole apocalypse thing was getting to him more than he thought. "Insecure." He scoffed. "Like I have to be insecure."

She rolled her eyes and went back to the search. "You'd think."

After two very large cemeteries they threw in the towel due to darkness. They had talked to Sam about three hours ago, and he said he was heading back. Not only did he not show up, he stopped answering his phone.

"It's only been a few hours, let's not panic."

"Yet." Dean reluctantly agreed. "Where the hell would he go?" Ruby was dead, what could he possibly have to hide now?

"He went for a walk."

"Very funny." He opened the door to the motel room and saw Sam coming out of the bathroom. "Sam."

He looked surprised to see them. "Hey."

"Where the hell you been man? We've been calling you all night."

"Sorry, man. I lost track of time I don't know what happened." He held up two fast-food bags. "I brought food."

Dean looked at him a moment before taking one of the bags and looking inside. It was actually good food. "Good. Call next time, Kayla was worried sick about you." He appropriately projected his concern.

His expression was so off; he seemed almost impressed…with himself. "You were?"

She couldn't tell if he was being serious. "Of course. You feeling okay?" He didn't smell like booze.

He smiled and watched Dean unwrap his burger. "I'm great, but uh, you're gonna want to eat that on the road."

He stopped. "Why?"

"Because the maid came in, and saw that…" He motioned to the small arsenal on the bed. "Now they're all kind of freaking out."

Dean stared at him incredulously. "Why'd you let the maid in?"

"It just happened."

"Whatever. I'm gonna hit the head and we'll take off."

"Great. I'll be in the car."

Since Sam just seemed to stand there after his statement, Kayla gathered the guns and brought them out to the trunk. When she closed it, he was standing next to her.

"You um, you left your bag inside."

She glanced to his shoulders and saw that he _wasn't_ holding the bag. "Thanks?" She went back in and grabbed her bag.

"You think he's drunk?" Dean asked her as he did a quick scan of the room for anything they left.

"He's definitely something."

They walked back outside.

"Hey, can I drive?"

They exchanged a look and Kayla sighed quietly. "I'll sit in the back."

Everyone got in and Sam took the driver's seat, looking like a sixteen year old kid with his first car. "Man this is so sweet." He revved the engine a few times.

"Can we get the lead out Andretti? Come on."

"Right." He shifted gears and let off the brake.

"Reverse." Dean muttered, but he kept going. "Reverse!" Sam backed the Impala into the large dumpster behind them, causing several bags to fall onto the trunk. He took a long, slow breath and grit his teeth. "It's _in_ reverse." He got out and slammed the door.

He looked fearfully to Kayla. "Should I get in the back?"

She tried not to laugh. "Just switch places with him. Don't apologize."

He got out and walked around the back. "I am so, so sorry…"

"Shut up." Dean jerked the driver's door shut. "I can't believe I let him behind the wheel."

"Calm down, you want me to check for damage?"

"I don't want to know." He glared at Sam as he got in and the car lurched forward. After that he had better be drunk.


	3. Chapter 3

They had to find a new motel outside of town to crash for the night thanks to Sam's genius move with the guns. After a good night's sleep, Sam was…definitely not back to normal. He seemed chipper, and definitely over eager to work this job. As they headed to the car he practically skipped beside them.

"So where are we going anyway?"

Dean gave him a look. "To work? The job?"

"Oh, right. So, where do you want to start?"

"Well since you couldn't find where Maggie Briggs was buried, we have to spend the day finishing off our cemetery hunt to find the body."

"Wait, Maggie Briggs? Like, the witch Maggie Briggs?"

Really? "Yeah Sherlock."

"Yeah she's in the basement."

Kayla threw her hands up. "You know where she's buried?"

"Totally. Okay, there's this legend that he hung her, but, he didn't. The real story is that she was carrying his illegitimate child and he killed her, and then buried her in the basement of his house."

Dean nodded. "That would explain the 'murdered child' scratched. How'd you find this out?"

"Oh I've done all _kind_s of research on it." He paused. "You know, last night. What'd you think I was doing?"

"Drinking, by the way your were acting." Kayla admitted. "But don't worry, I think Dean snuck a couple in too." She climbed into the car.

"Just ignore her." He got in and started the car, Bob Seger's _Rock and Roll Never Forgets_ was playing quietly on the radio.

"Oh man, turn it up!" Sam exclaimed.

He stared at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah!" He bobbed his head as the music got louder and Dean smirked. Maybe the kid was starting to loosen up.

At least they didn't have to break into the house. It was nice to have compliant victims every once in awhile. The old basement was nasty, the cement walls were covered in dust and cobwebs. Sam claimed the shotgun and was aiming it into every crevice.

"Booyah. Grand master chief is in the house biz-atches."

Kayla laughed. "I'm sticking with the drunk theory.

He straightened up. "Sorry."

Dean shook his head and found a spot of green on the floor. "Well I'll be damned. Willow Moss."

Sam piped in all matter-of-fact. "Yeah right, it's supposed to grow over witches graves, right?"

He paused to compose himself. "Yeah."

Kayla helped him dig the grave while Sam kept watch with the gun. When they'd uncovered the bones he spoke up from behind them.

"Hey man, I'm really sorry about this."

"Sorry about what?"

A crash was heard and they spun around in time to see Sam hit the far wall.

"Sam!" He ran over to help him up. "You okay?"

"Let's get out of here!"

"Whoa, we still gotta burn the body you idiot!"

Kayla tore through the bag in search of the lighter. As Dean came back he was attacked by the bitch witch too. She appeared in front of him and walked towards him. Kayla looked to Sam, but was just watching. She went for the shot gun but it slid across the floor under the stairs.

As the woman came deathly close to Dean, she burst into flames. Dean lowered his arms and saw Sam at the burning body.

"Dude, _that_, was sweet."

Kayla let out a breath. "Nice job Sam."

He grinned. "Yeah it was."


	4. Chapter 4

That night the path down the road of weirdness continued. As Dean and Kayla headed out as they usually do, Sam willingly tagged along to the bar. He knew they were going to drink, and he just, hopped into the car all excited to go. Kayla considered giving him a piss test. She supposed it wasn't right to complain; after all she'd complained enough about his _bad_ attitude. It'd be a little bitchy to complain about a good one.

Dean was visibly fighting the urge to interrogate him himself but for the time being had kept quiet. He nodded to the waitress as she dropped off three pairs of shots. "Do me a favor sweetheart. Could you bring me a cheeseburger with extra bacon, fry an egg on top of it would ya?"

"Absolutely." She responded nonchalantly.

"That, that sounds good. Ditto." Sam added, despite the look he was getting from Dean.

The waitress looked at Kayla.

"Um, no. I think that's plenty of grease for all three of us."

Dean waited for her to leave. "Okay who are you and what have you done with Sam?"

"What do you mean?"

"Bacon cheeseburgers now?"

He smiled. "I don't know, I eat 'em don't I? Besides, we're celebrating." He raised his shot glass.

"Yeah I guess." Dean shrugged and raised his glass. "Another one bites the dust. Nice work today."

"You too. I had a really awesome day today. Seriously." He downed the shot and made a horrible face.

"Did you just say you had an awesome day?"

He looked at Kayla. "Yeah, so?"

"So…you never have an awesome day. On a _good _day, you might have an 'okay' day. It's never awesome."

He held his hands up in defense. "Why can't I be in a good mood? I mean really, I've got a gun, I'm getting drunk _and_, I look like this." He motioned to his face but received blank stares from them. They didn't know what to say. "I don't know. Do you ever feel like your whole life is being decided for you?"

Dean gave Kayla a look. "Uh, yeah Sam. I feel like that a lot."

He continued. "No matter how hard you fight it, you can't stop the plan. The stupid, stupid plan. So I don't know. It's just nice to do a little ass-kicking for a change."

Kayla smiled and patted his hand. "See? He's still normal."

Sam shook his head. "I'm just drunk. Forget it."

"No no, it's alright. I'll drink to that." He raised his glass and they took their shots. "Is it just me, or are we drinking together? Like, all together?"

He shrugged. "We don't do it that often huh?"

He laughed. "You could say that."

"Holy shit." He sighed. "You're a good guy Dean."

"You _are_ drunk."

"No I mean it, you really are a good guy."

Kayla tilted her head and rose from her chair. "I'm officially for Sam being drunk so um, I'm gonna go get some more shots."

Sam watched her go, his eyes lingering a little longer than usual and he turned to Dean with a grin. "High five on _that._" He raised his hand.

Dean shook his head but gave him the high five anyway. "You're an idiot."

"She's hot."

"I know."

"Like, really hot." He emphasized.

"Dude."

He shrugged. "I'm just saying. You definitely want to keep her."

"I was planning on it."

Kayla slid the shots in front of them and Sam made a face.

"Can we switch to something a little less…nasty?"

She laughed quietly. "What like banana daiquiris?"

"Yes!" He answered excitedly. "That sounds great."

"Well," she motioned towards the bar. "Go order one up tiger."

He slid out of his chair and headed towards the bar.

Kayla took her seat and they both turned to watch him at the bar. An older woman started talking to him; she was hitting on him. "It's too bad really."

Dean nodded in agreement. "It really is." 

"I kind of like him this way."

"Me too." He took the shot. "What do you think it is?"

She thought it over in her head. "Well, it's not demonic possession." She would assume, since he had the protection tattoo. "What about ghost possession?"

He shook his head. "A ghost has to be really, really pissed to possess a human and _that_…" he pointed to Sam as he flirted back with the woman. "Is not a pissed off ghost. Besides, they can't stay in a host that long."

"And we watched the surveillance video from the motel parking lot, no shape shifter 'laser eyes'."

"Maybe he broke down and said yes to Lucifer and he's just one really cool guy."

She laughed. "Right that must be it."

Sam was following the woman out the door and he stopped to grin at them. "We're gonna do it!" He pumped his fist before the door shut.

Kayla sighed. It really was too bad. "Well he doesn't really appear to be dangerous, whatever the hell it is."

"Well since he's off on a rendezvous, we've got time before we have to be back at the room to confront him." He looked around for the waitress.

"Time?" She stepped up to his barstool and slipped her fingers into his jacket. "Sweetheart, there is no time before we gotta get out of here."

He smirked. "What was I thinking?"

"I don't know but," she kissed his neck. "We seem to have an insecurity issue that needs to be addressed. I'm pretty sure I can fix it."

"I'm pretty sure you can." He dropped a few bills on the table.


	5. Chapter 5

It was getting late. The lights had been out for two hours now and Sam still hadn't shown up. Kayla readjusted the pillows under the sheet to give it a more realistic look; they needed him distracted enough to get a hold of him.

"Maybe he's not coming." She suggested.

"Oh he's coming. He wouldn't have stuck around this long if he didn't want something."

"Yeah I guess…" She sighed in disappointment. "Isn't it sad, that we know it can't be Sam because he's just so damn happy?"

"I guess." He glanced out the window. "I mean, Sam can be happy, but it's not just gonna be a switch that goes off."

"I don't know that he _can_ be happy." She admitted. "He's not the same anymore, it's like he doesn't want to be."

Dean couldn't argue with that. When he'd asked him the day before about having a family, Sam blew him off, told him 'it wasn't his thing anymore'. How did it get so turned around? He looked at Kayla and got that same, nagging feeling he'd been getting lately. That annoying 'what if'. He'd never dealt with that before, and now he couldn't get it out of his head. He was starting to think maybe this hunting thing wasn't the greener side of the fence.

Kayla seemed to sense his hesitation and wrapped her arms around his waist. "We can have another demonstration about why you don't have to worry about anyone else…"

Footsteps stopped at the door and Dean lowered his voice. "Interrupting, that's definitely more Sam." He pulled her behind the door with him.

The door swung open and Sam walked in quietly. He observed the bed for movement, then went to the open bag on the chair and grabbed the gun Dean had left out. His motions seemed nervous, but he raised the gun to the figure on the bed. Dean pointed this out to Kayla; obviously they were wrong about him being dangerous. He stepped out next to him and Sam turned, Dean punched him in the face and grabbed his collar.

"You're not Sam. Who are you?"

He looked dazed. "Ow!"

Kayla went and turned the lights on while Dean tied him to a chair. "Did you do something with our phones?"

He looked at her sheepishly. "I threw them in the dumpster, at the last place."

She pouted. "I liked that phone."

Dean leaned in to get in his face. "Who, the hell, are you?"

He leaned away as far as he could but didn't answer him.

"Not to mention the ones in the glove box belonged to the guys, and John, they were the hunter contacts. The only way for friends to get a hold of us in an emergency." She continued.

"I'm sorry." He answered, his voice shook slightly.

"Would you forget about the phones for a second?"

"Hey, he's talking to me."

He couldn't argue with that. "Have you checked your messages since they went missing?"

"Um, no…" She realized this was a simple solution that she probably should have thought of.

Dean went to the hotel phone and picked it, dialing his own number. He hit the star key and heard the machine tell him he had thirty eight new messages. _Shit._ He glared at whoever was sitting in that chair and started listening to them.

Kayla watched 'Sam' for his reactions, he seemed scared of Dean. Terrified actually. "He's going to kick your ass you know, just for fun if you don't start talking. It had better be good to, because if it's not he'll just kill you." His eyes widened.

_Dean, it's Sam. Look, this is gonna sound crazy, but I'm in the wrong body…_

_Dean, the guy next to you, is not me…_

_Dean, check your fricken voice mail. Damn it!_

He hung up and walked over to the chair. 'Sam's' eyes had teared up and he looked at him with fear. "Alright pal either you start talking or I start waterboarding, whichever is…"

"Please, don't hurt me. I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!"

"Hey, pull it together champ." He put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't wanna die," his voice cracked. "I don't wanna die."

"Dean." Kayla said softly and he let go of him. "Look at him, look at the way he's reacting." The guy was trembling. "I think it's just a kid."

Dean eyed him. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Seventeen?" He sighed. "Where's Sam?"

"He's in my friend's basement, his parents are out…"

Suddenly Dean and Kayla were flung across the room. A girl in her late teens seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"Laura?" The kid asked.

Her eyes flashed black. "Not at the moment."

Dean must have hit his head when he fell, Kayla went over to wake him up while the demon untied their new friend.

"Boy, you sure earned your dessert tonight kiddo. What is it that you want? Anything."

"Anything?"

"Lay it on me."

"Don't make deals with her." Kayla warned him and got pushed back into the wall. She groaned in protest. "I wasn't even talking you."

He rose from the chair. "I wanna be a witch, for real. A really powerful one."

"Hmm." She nodded. "Good choice, I get it. No daddy, no MIT, no plan. You get to be big and strong and no one can tell you what to do anymore. There's just one little formality. You gotta meet the boss."

"The boss?"

Kayla reached for Sam's bag, the one with Ruby's blade.

"Oh you know, your, 'satanic majesty' or whatever the kids are calling it these days."

He raised an eyebrow. "The devil?"

"Ha." Kayla couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds totally safe."

The girl went towards her with a vicious snarl and raised her hand to strike.

"No wait." The kid called out. "Don't hurt her, she's pretty cool."

The demon growled and snatched the bag, throwing it across the room and went back to him.

"I don't really want to bother the devil."

"Oh but he is gonna want to meet you. Relax, it's gonna be easy. He's just gonna ask you one little question, all you have to do is say yes. Then, you get your reward."

Kayla saw where this was headed. "Kid, what's your name?"

"Gary."

"Okay, Gary, you should run."

"Would you shut up?" She raised her hand and sent her across the room again, as she went back Dean sprung up to get her with the knife but she knocked him down and started kicking him.

Gary watched this a moment, but started the exorcism rites. The demon jerked her head towards him.

"What was that?"

"Um, nothing…"

Dean was getting to his feet.

"Are you trying to exorcize me? You piece of shit!" She grabbed him by the throat.

Dean recited the next part of the exorcism, getting her off of Gary. As she turned towards Dean, Gary did the next part, and they went back and forth until black smoke spilled out of her mouth. Gary watched it go through the vent and gave a crooked smile; he looked very impressed with himself.

"Everyone okay?"

Kayla looked at the girl, she was still moving. "Seems like it. Nice Latin."

He grinned. "Thanks."


	6. Chapter 6

Gary set up the ritual and switched he and Sam back into the correct bodies. It was all kind of crazy, but everyone seemed to be safe. Well, except for Gary's buddy back at the house, who decided to go power crazy and got himself killed by the demon. Gary stood and stretched.

"Gary." Dean stepped up to him.

"I know. My bad guys."

They looked at him. "My bad? Gary, my bad isn't gonna cut it. See, if you were of voting age, you would be dead. Because we would kill you."

He looked between them, none of them said otherwise.

"So either straighten up or fly right, or we will kill you. Are we clear? No more witchcraft."

He nodded quickly. "Crystal."

They drove them back to Gary's house and they all got out of the car to see them off. Sam stopped him.

"Gary, take it from someone who knows, shut up man, your life ain't that bad."

"Um, you met my parents?"

"Yeah, so what? It's your life, you don't like their plan for you, tell 'em to cram it."

"Yeah he _does_ know about that." Kayla added.

He nodded. "Rebel a little bit, in a healthy, non-satanic way of course. And by the way, you know why Nora is into witch craft?"

"What do you mean?"

"She doesn't like Satan, you moron, she likes you."

"Really? You think?" He looked over at her.

"I know. I'm telling you kid, I wish I had your life."

"You do? Thanks."

Sam nodded. "Now get out of here."

He turned and Kayla caught him. "Aw come here Gary." She hugged him. "It's been fun, really. You're a cool kid."

He smiled. "Thanks."

"Good luck with everything, that's not witchcraft. You know, life and all."

Gary looked back at Nora and nodded. "Bye guys."

They watched the door shut, Dean looked at Sam. "That was a nice thing to say."

He nodded. "I totally lied. The kid's life sucked ass."

They got in the car.

"Gary was a lot more cheerful to be around, you know that?" Kayla muttered and pulled her door shut.

"I don't see how he was happy. All that apple pie family crap, it's stressful trust me. We didn't miss a damn thing."

Dean shrugged and responded quietly. "Or we don't know what we're missing." He started the car and the same Bog Seger song came on.

"Oh come on man, turn it down."

Dean glanced back to Kayla, who had the same look on her face. "Welcome back Kotter."

"Yeah, we um, totally missed your bright smile."

"I can tell."

Dean looked at her in his rearview mirror and couldn't help but smile; maybe the what if feeling wasn't so bad.


End file.
